Blinder



z. T. MILLER.

BLIND'ER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1921.

' Patented Feb. 14, 1922..v

gwowwoz Unirse starai ZACHARY T. MILLER, OF BLSS, OKLAHOMA.

BLINDER.

inname.

Application filed April 14, 1921.

To @ZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ZACHARY T. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bliss, in the county of Noble and State of Oklahoma, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Blinders, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

It is an object of this invention so to form a blinder of one piece ofsheet material that it may be associated adjustably with the cheek orother strap of a bridle without employment of other parts.

The invention further provides for the economical production of blindersby the stamping of blanks from sheet metal and the bending thereof toform the complete articles, which have guideways for the straps andmeans for holding them adjustably therein.

When considered in connection with the description herein, thecharacteristics of the invention will be apparent from the accompanyingdrawing, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention isdisclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Although the disclosures herein exemplify what now is considered to be apreferable embodiment of the invention, it is to kbe understood that itis not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretationof the claims, as modifications and adaptations within the limits of theclaims can be made without departing from the nature of the invention.

Like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the views ofthe drawing, of which- F ig. 1 is a view of the blinder in associationwith a bridle-strap;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the blank from which the article is formed.

In the production of the article, blanks of substantially the shapeshown by F ig. 3 are stamped out from bendable sheet-metal stock.

Such a blank includes a portion t to form the blinder proper, from alongthe strapedge of which is c'ut an elongated opening Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14:, 1922.

Serial No. 461,215.

leaving strap-crossing members 5 at each end, which connect to theportion #l an elongated portion 6, the latter portion constituting thematerial from which the strap guide or channel is to be formed.

Either before or after bending such a blank as hereinafter described, astrap-engaging member 7, such as a pin, is secured at or about midwaybetween the ends of the portion that is to be the bottom of the strapguide or channel. That member may be a headed shank having its head 7Lhammered close to the under side of the material and held in place bysolder or other suitable means.

The blank is bent along longitudinal lines a-a and or/ a in the sides ofthe portion 6 to afford upstanding flanges 8 constituting the sides ofthe strap guideway or channel, the remaining part 9 of portion 6constituting the bottom of the guideway or channel.

The members 5 then are bent at the line 5 5 over against the oppositeflange 8, the edge of the blinder portion thus being brought at the sametime against that iiange, after which the parts are soldered together atthe places of contact.

An article formed in the expeditious and economical manner describedconstitutes a combined blinder and buckle. As seen in Figs'. l and 2, acheek or other bridle strap 10 may be disposed in the channel under thecross members 5 and with any one of its holes in engagement with themember 7.

The position of the blinder on the strap may be altered, of course, byraising the strap from the member 7 and then drawing the strap in onedirection or the other in the channel, the channel being open betweenthe members 5 to permit access to the strap.

Moreover, when the strap is looped in the ring of the bit, as shown, itsfree end portion may be brought back into the channel and any one of itsholes into engagement with the member 7.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An article of the kind described formed of a single piece of bendablesheet material and comprising a blinder having at' its side astrap-guideway, said guideway being afmembers, bending the marginalparts of said elongated portion to form sides of a stra-pguideway, thenbending the materiel at an edge of one of said sides to bring seid crossmembers and an edge of said blinder portion over and into abutment Withan edge of said other side and securing said edges together, andplacinga strap-engaging member on said elongated portion between thesides thereof and seid cross members.

In testimony whereof I :tiix my signature.

ZACHARY T. MILLER.

